Ouran Gets a Kitty sort of
by departedakatsuki
Summary: Okay, this is my first story, but I hope you enjoy it. Ouran gets a neko... And I know it's strange to put a purely fiction-based creature in a not-so- fiction-based story, but it's funny and good and...it's a little ooc. Enjoy!
1. Karai meets the Crew

I stared at the door for music room three, wondering once again whether or not I should open the door. I had already been standing here for a few minutes, but the host club still hadn't opened. I tugged the tight bandages higher up on my chest, wincing as the action pulled at the deep gash that was only an inch from my heart. _So this is Ouran High_. I thought to myself. I wondered absently if Aika and Mahayka, my best friends, were faring better than I was at this rich kid school. _Hmm...Rich kids. I guess the three of us are lumped into that category now, seeing as how Aika and Mahayka's parents had one hell of an insurance policy. Well, they were assassins. They had to be prepared in case they unexpectedly died, which they have._ I have lived with Aika and Mahayka ever since I was two when my parents died(car accident). Since I was so young, Aika and Mahayka's parents took me in as one of their own. I have always felt connected to the twins; incidentally, I called their parents mom and dad, since I never knew mine. Oddly enough, I was accepted, even though, strangely enough, I am a neko. Just thinking about it made me run my hands through my hair to make sure my weird, boyish haircut hid my cat ears. As I shifted my books from one arm to another to pull up the gloves that cleverly concealed my furry hands that ended in claws, I realized how long I had been staring into space. _I must look crazy!_ I thought angrily, and I forced myself to open the doors to music room three, remembering seconds too late that they weren't open yet. Just as I burst through the doors, A feminine boy was walking out, and we bumped into each other. Because of the way I was carrying my books, The corner of the manga I was reading dug against my bandages and reopened my wound.

"Aah..!" I cried out in pain. The boy paused as my hand flew to my chest, pressing against the freshly bleeding cut on my chest. "Are you okay?" He asked, obviously concerned. I frowned and shook my head, looking grim. "I need to get to a doctor." I said, pulling my hand back from my shirt when I felt the warm wetness seeping through. I stared at the red spot on my hand, then fainted at the sight of my own blood.

Haruhi stared at the girl that lay, passed out, on the floor. "Umm...s-somebody! Help!" Her last word came out as a whisper as she saw the girls blood slowly dripping from a spot on her shirt. Tamaki rushed over, accompanied by the twins Hikarou and Karou. "Haruhi, what's wrong?" Tamaki asked, completely ignoring the bleeding girl.

"Uh, senpai? Look down," Haruhi pointed to the new student. As she pointed, she vaguely remembered the homeroom teacher saying something about her. What was her name again?...Kamai? No, that wasn't it...Karai? Yes, her name was Karai. Odd that she had looked perfectly fine this morning, and now she had gotten just slightly paler from blood loss--- Haruhi's thoughts were interrupted by Tamaki, who had turned even paler than Karai.

"Guh!...Kyoya, call..well...The school doctor? Mmm...Yes, call, but we still need to get her down there before she bleeds everywhere."

Mori walked over to the girl and lifted her onto one shoulder so that Karai's head was against his back, purposely placing her so that he wouldn't get blood on his uniform. He jogged ahead of everyone to the nurses office....

As I was passed out, the memories began to play in my head...

_I was walking home from my small public school, aggravated after being harassed once again by the idiots in my class. Of course, It was just my luck to run into one of them as I passed by a dark alley._

"_Hey street cat," called Marihin, the most obnoxious(and slightly dangerous) bully of them all._

"_Hmm...A dark alley. How cliché. I guess your usual swamp wasn't enough for you, fish face." I __taunted him back. I knew I was pushing my luck, but how could I resist the bait. He growled at me, obviously angry._

"_Ah, so we're growling now. I see we've upgraded from fish face to doggy. I would say that you're..." I paused for contemplation, "a poodle!" I grinned, satisfied at my smart remark._

_He looked even angrier for a split second, but then he started to look cocky. "Oh, poor Karai. You overestimate your own abilities. Sure, you have those damned claws, but you don't have anything that could fight this, do you?" He laughed as he pulled out a long knife. I gasped in surprise, than hissed and tried to back away. Unfortunately, I bumped into a tree, and he took advantage of the brief time that I paused to rush forward and slice my chest. I felt the searing pain as the initial thrust broke a few ribs. He smiled at the pained expression on my face, and I screamed as he dragged it a few inches to the right. He finally yanked out the bloody knife, and left it in my hands as I passed out..._

_I woke up a day later in a hospital bed, and my first thought was _Why am I not dead?_. My second thought was AAAAAAAHHH_!!!!_ As it turned out, it wasn't a thought, but an actual scream as I felt the pain in my chest. I heard a mumbled, "Guess she's awake" before I passed out from pain-again._

_A few days later, after I was properly bandaged, I was finally able to sit up without screaming.(I still moaned a little, but nothing too noticeable) The doctor walked into my room and began to talk to me. "I honestly don't know how you're still alive! You're healing so quickly, I think I might even release you fairly soon." I glared at the doctor, "But no stitches?" I grumbled. The doctor sighed as he answered; this wasn't the first time I had asked. "No, you're healing so fast that we don't believe you'll need them." His answer was simple, and I could only hope he was right._

* * *

I groaned and thought_ That doctor was so wrong _just as I woke up...

"Mmm-ow, son of a goat!" I shouted as I awoke to the one of the doctors at this school carefully finishing the last of the 40 or so stitches across my chest. He didn't even look up as he said, "Glad you could join us." I laughed quietly, then grimaced as the shaking jostled my chest. "Yeah, me too." I sighed, feeling tired, but otherwise happy that I was at least getting proper medical attention. "And now I'm finished. Be more careful from now on. The wound itself is already very serious, it doesn't need to be reopened, especially when you consider that it could get infected and kill you. Even worse, if you break it open again, it could expand to your heart, or one of your ribs could break completely. There's so many things that could go wrong that make even this seem minor. Just watch out, I guess." I nodded, paying attention: this information could save my life(yeah right...Really I just appreciated his honesty, and I figured paying attention was the least I could do). "You can go now...or..wait, let me get someone to bring you a new shirt first." He laughed lightly. I had already slid off the bed, completely forgetting that my own shirt was probably soaked in blood right about now. "Yeah, public indecency is a bad thing, or so I've heard." I joked to the doctor. "You heard correctly," He said, smiling. Then he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Yeah?.......A shirt, size..." he paused, looking carefully at me, "um, I think it's a women's small. Am I right?" He asked me. I nodded, and he continued his call. "Yeah, a women's small....That'll work...Thanks...Bye." He snapped the phone shut and smiled. "As it turns out, there's a cure for public indecency, one of them is on its way." He grinned and I laughed, and I sat back on the edge of the bed to wait for this "cure". When my new shirt finally came, it was a slightly low-cut purple shirt that was long and tight. I slipped it on, glad that I had lost that extra 10 pounds in the hospital. I walked away, waving goodbye to the kind doctor.

I made my way back to the music room, hoping I wouldn't have another disaster. Not only did I want to actually check out the host club, I had left my books in the room. I found my way to the room, and I walked through the door. As I looked around, I realized that the host club was once again about to start. I saw a tall blond boy, a taller dark haired boy in glasses, a young looking blond boy clinging to the back of a quiet looking tall boy, a set of twins(ha! Aika and Mahayka would love this!), and that feminine boy I ran into. As soon as I saw the boy, I apologized, "I'm so sorry for bumping into you back there and causing all of that trouble. I hope I didn't do anything too bad to the host clubs reputation, and if I did...I can pay it back." Everyone quickly began to reassure me, "It wasn't you're fault," and "Don't worry about it, there wasn't any trouble" except for both of the tall boys with dark hair. The one giving the young looking blond a piggy back ride stayed silent, while the one wearing glasses spoke above the voices, "Actually, since we had to start late today, we didn't make as much money as usual. There's also the cost of the bleach and the new shirt you have to consider. Add that to the personal doctor, and you owe us," he paused to do some mental math, "14,000 yen," The boy pushed his glasses further up his nose and looked at me expectantly. I smiled; this was too easy. "Sure, just give me until tomorrow, I'll bring the money." As I finished my sentence, the tall blond frowned. "Kyoya, that's not fair. She's a new student, and she's injured. You should be nice." Kyoya(glasses boy) chuckled. "I would, Tamaki, but we need to make a profit somehow. If she somehow does pay us back tomorrow, she'll be debt-free. Otherwise, I'll increase it to 15,000 yen and a month's service." Tamaki(tall blond) gawked at Kyoya, but I shrugged. "It'll be simple enough-" I started to say, but I was cut off by Aika rushing into the room with an angry looking boy pushing her until she was against one of the windows, all the while he was yelling, "Say you're sorry!" "Aika!" I cried out, but he shook her until her head hit the glass, breaking it. The boy kept shaking her, though, and her body broke the rest of the already weak window, and she fell out.


	2. Meet Aika

_Aika_

As I fell out the window, I only had time to think, _All I wanted was that black rose._ Then I tried to turn so that I could at least break my fall with my hands, but instead I was too late and my arms crumpled beneath me, causing my forehead to scrape against the concrete even though I took the majority of the fall with my knees. I could barely think through the pain of falling from a second floor window, but I still didn't make a sound. I hadn't even said a word since my parents died two years ago. Instead, I gasped, then I tried to straighten up. It was even harder since my knees had taken most of the impact, but I manged to stand. When I looked up, I saw Karai staring in horror from the broken window, then my twin sister Mahayka's face appeared beside it, equally horrified. I blinked against the glare of the sunlight off of the window, then I slowly attempted to walk back to the front door of the school. I glanced once more at the window, but Mahayka and Karai had disappeared, probably to help me up the stairs or get help from someone. I frowned; they were slightly overprotective of me. They probably thought I was mentally unstable or in shock from my parents death. Honestly, I was at first, but then I just got used to not talking.

As I struggled, I thought of the rose that had, in a way, caused my fall. I had seen it in a distant window, and I tried to get closer. I didn't pay attention to where I was going, and I bumped into a boy on my way to the room that I thought the rose was in. The boy was obviously obsessed with manners or something, because he kept trying to get me to say, "Sorry," and since I never talk, he got really mad and started to shove me. I was pushed into a room, and I caught a glimpse of Karai before I was thrown against the window. Then I saw Mahayka, and I realized that she had been following me for a short while, probably since she heard the boy start shouting. (She can always tell when I'm in trouble) She tried to push us away from each other, but my head broke the window and I fell through. _So now I'm here..._

I sighed. I had reached the stairs, and I had no clue how to go up them with my knees still in such pain. But I apparently didn't have to, because Mahayka and Karai had reached the door and were now rushing down the stairs to help me up. Karai moved to my left, Mahayka to my right, and each one placed my arms over their shoulders so that they were supporting me. They helped me up the stairs, but even though they carried most of my weight, I still felt pain when I bent my knees. When we reached the door, Karai opened one and Mahayka opened the other, and we walked into the school. I held up my hand, motioning for them to stop and let me take a break. We did, and I leaned against a wall, panting for breath. I looked up only when I heard footsteps coming down the steps from the upper floor. A tall boy was walking down with a small child on his shoulders. At least, he looked young. I couldn't be sure. I wondered about their identity, but I didn't have to wonder for much longer.

"Mori, please, you've got to help us! You carried me before, can you carry Aika now? You saw her fall out of the window, she can barely walk. Please..." Karai's voice was desperate, and she seemed to be struggling for words.

"Where to?" the boy who was apparently named Mori had a deep voice, but he was also abrupt when he talked.

"Um... maybe to Music Room 3, and we'll figure it out from there."

Mori nodded, and he stepped towards me. He lifted me bride-style and carried me up the stairs, apparently without effort. As he walked, the boy on his back leaned over his head and stared at me. After a brief silence(about 2 seconds) he began to talk.

"Hi, my name is Mitskuni Haninozuka, but everyone calls me Hunny. Oh, and this is Takashi Morinozuka, but everyone calls him Mori. Wer'e best friends, and he's the coolest best friend anyone could ever have!" as he spoke, he hugged Mori tightly, and I noticed a tiny smile on Moris face. I also noticed a lot of flowers appearing from...nowhere. _Where are all of these flowers coming from? I hope my allergies don't start acting up. I _really_ don't want to sneeze all over this guy. And how old is this kid anyway? _As I pondered, the boy that was apparently named Hunny poked me with the stuffed bunny dangling from his hands. "You don't talk much...But maybe that's because you're hurt. I've seen some of the boys that train at my dojo get hurt, and they try not to say anything. Maybe theyr'e afraid they'll cry... You don't have to be ashamed about crying in front of us. We'll understand, seeing as how you just fell out of a window. Won't we, Takashi?" Mori nodded again. I tried to smile and shake my head, but the motion dislodged a single tear that dripped down my face, falling from my cheek onto Mori's sleeve. I turned my head slightly and watched the darker splotch slowly spread across the blue fabric.

"Actually, she hasn't talked in two years," I heard my twin's voice drifting from down the stairs, then she appeared beside me seconds later, after some fast footsteps that were still echoing after she cought up to Mori. "She hasn't made a sound since our parents were assassinated. They were expert assassins themselves, but...they just didn't make it this time..." Mahayka sighed, a bitterly sad look on her face.

"Uh, hey guys, we actually made it to the room!" Karai clapped her hands together in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood, but she was right. We all silently stared at the door until Karai realized nobody would open it and, with a sigh, she walked forward and pulled both doors open, letting them hit the walls on either side. A murmur in the room suddenly quieted as Mori walked forward and gently rested me in a chair. I watched him walk away and saw that the stain from my tear was already fading. Once again I tried to smile, and once again the expression eluded me.

"So this is the new girl that fell out the window." A voice called out from the crowd, and a boy walked slowly forward. His dark shaggy hair and glasses hid his eyes while his head was tilted towards his clipboard, but when he looked up, there was a slightly mischevious look on his face, oddly mixed with aggravation. "Do you realize what this little window jumping escapade has cost the club?" As he talked, he walked closer, and even though his voice didn't get louder, I could still sense the anger emanating from him, and his quiet restrained voice somehow made it all the more pronounced. "Not only in expenses, seeing as how we'll have to replace the window, but also our reputation has been damaged. Two people injured in one day, and both of them in or near the Host Club's room? Somewhat suspicious, don't you think? I'd hope you have someway to pay for that, or at least try to repay us...?" His voice trailed off, leaving a question in the air:_ How can you fix this?_ Luckily someone stepped in and broke the awkward silence.

"Kyoya, I understand that she injured the club as well as herself, but its not her fault. Didn't you see that boy that shoved her against the window? It's too bad he ran off before we could get an explanation..." A blond boy walked over to Kyoya, intent on saving me, though I have no idea why. "Isn't there someway we could take care of this ourselves? I'm sure the Host Club has planty of money left. We can cut back on the next theme we have or something, just so long as we can help them. Think about it. You're the one who said that our reputation is damaged. How much worse would it be if the same girls that were injured had to pay the Club? It would be like we had some problem against new students." He stopped talking and looked pointedly at the boy he had called Kyoya.

"Well Tamaki, unusual as it may be, you actually have a point. Maybe we can work something out..." He began to walk away, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Does that mean I'm off the hook too?" Karai called out hopefully.

"Maybe... Wait, I have an idea. You girls don't have to pay us back - if you come to the Host Club for the next two weeks in a row. I'm sure even Tamaki could agree with that." Kyoya smiled smugly.

"Then wouldn't we be basically paying you anyways?" Mahayka asked, frowning.

"Yeah, and why would we want to come to your club anyways. From what I've seen so far, only bad things happen here." Karai looked up from where she was doodling on her hand long enough to tilt her head questioningly at Kyoya.

Kyoya sighed, "The actual activities haven't started yet. And yes, you will be paying us, but only for our services. At least thats what the public eye will see. It will also help decrease from the bad image you've given us by showing that even though you were injured, you still chose to come here for two whole weeks. The resulting increase in customers, which isn't a definite fact but only a probable prediction, should also help with the money we need. So yes, you will be paying us. It's the best solution with the best outcome."

Karai paused for a moment and thought it over. "All right, I see your point. We'll do it." She went back to doodling on her hand.

I felt relieved that the problem was solved; stressful situations make me uncomfortable. But now that the main issue was out of my head, the throbbing pain in my knees entered it. I looked around for a tissue to stop the slow trickle of blood staining my newly ripped pants. My search was futile, so I tried to meet Mahayka's eyes. I managed to get her attention, and she instantly understood my discomfort. She turned and announced to the club,"Hey guys, I'm gonna go clean Aika up. If you need any help, send Karai after us. We should be back before the Host Club starts."

"All right, but do hurry. We'll be waiting." This time Kyoya didn't even bother to look up from his clipboard, and I couldn't help but wonder what was so important on it that he was constantly absorbed in it. _Notes from classmates? The stock exchange? Plans to rule the world?_ My train of thought was interrupted when Mahayka tried to lift me from the chair. I pushed her hands away in agitation. I was determined to get up on my own, and with a lot of effort and even more pain, I managed to do so.

"Okay,I get it, independant-much! Or maybe your'e just stubborn. Either way, you can't push me out of helping you down the hallway." Mahayka looked at me sternly, and I was once again reminded of her maternal role in our trio(Me, Karai, and Mahayka). _If Mahayka is the mother in the relationship and Karai is the mediator, what am I? _I asked myself, and I answered back cynically, _The annoying problem child? Useless? No, your'e not that and you know it. Your'e the silent one, the thinker of the group._

Once I was satisfied with my self conversation, I turned my attention back to cooperating with Mahayka. Although I had wanted to get up on my own, I wasn't planning on being disagreeable all the way to the bathroom. Getting up had been a simple way to test myself and check the extent of the damage. So far as I could tell, nothing was broken, but that didn't mean I could walk down the hallway without collapsing.

"Quit spacing out and concentrate! Your'e heavier than you look, and it's not helping whan you go limp every few seconds." Mahayka grunted as she tugged on my arms. I blinked, then grabbed her wrists. "What th-? Oh, now you choose to cooperate. All right, I'll pull you up." She grabbed my wrists as well and began to pull again, and with my help we were able to get me into an upright position. As soon as I was standing, she let go of my wrists and grabbed my shoulders before I could fall. With her hands still on my shoulders, she moved until she was facing the side of my head, then she let go with her left arm and slipped it under my right arm, supporting me, then she let go with her right arm and moved closer to let me lean on her.

"Ready now? she asked as she turned her head to look at me. I nodded and took a shaky step forward, trying to put all of my weight on Mahayka.

"Do you guys need any help?" Karai looked up from where she had finished drawing, and I saw a cat on her hand in blue ink.

"I don't think so." Mahayka took a step to match mine.

"Actually, that's a good thing, because we need Karai to help set up tables, make coffee and tea, and make a snack rack. Evwn though we don't have a theme today, we shouyld still be presentable, and we'll need as many people as we can get so we won't be much later than we already are." Kyoya spoke up even as a boy with big brown eyes and mousy brown hair walked out of a storage room with a tray of real silverware, cloth napkins, and fine china teasets.

"Alright, come on." Mahayka took another step forward, and we began our long walk down the hall to the bathroom. We took a series of twists and turns that I'll probably take weeks to remember (I'm jealous of Mahayka's photographic memory) and made it there in one piece. Mahayka pushed open the door and walked in with me, then lifted me enough to set me on the counter (complaining as she did so). She grabbed some paper towels and turned on the cold water, wetting them. Then she set to work wiping off my knees. Once she was done, I leaned forward and looked at my knees, but I quickly pulled back in disgust.

"Yeah, I know, your knees look like raw hamburger meat. Don't worry, they'll heal soon enough, but you'll be sore for awhile." She threw away the bloody paper towels and turned to face me. "Are you really okay though?" she asked as she pushed my blond bangs out of my face. She had always looked like a mirror image of me, but now she looked at me and I saw Mom's face reflected in her's. The sight brought back memories pf a time that seems so long ago now. A time when I would laugh and talk...

_"I bet I can swing higher than you!" I called to Mahayka as we raced to our backyard swingset._

_"Wanna bet?" she called back, slightly ahead of me._

_" I just di- OOOOOOWWWWOWOH!" I cried out suddenly as I tripped and fell hard on my knees._

_"Aika!" Mom rushed out of the house and reached me before Mahayka even started towards me; she was still standing back in shock. Mom dropped to her knees and picked me up, her own tears mixing with mine as they ran down my face._

_"Mommy, why are you crying?" I asked, feeling confused. My own tears were already stopping and leading to sniffles, but Mom kept crying._

The same concern that was on Mom's face was now on Mahayka's, and the memories left a painful sting, reminding me once again that Mom and Dad are dead. Tears filled my eyes, and I shook my head no. I wanted to say, "I'm not okay." I wanted to say, "I miss old times." but I didn't say anything. Instead I cried silent tears and let Mahayka hold me until I felt better. Then, with her help, I stood up and we walked back to the Host Club's room. I wasn't as sore now, and I needed less help. When we walked into the room, it hhad completely changed. The tables had been set, the lights slightly dimmed, and the room was full of girls. I looked for a place to sit, but I couldn't find one until I saw Karai's hand waving and heard her voice.

"Hey girls, over here!" Karai had saved Mahayka and me each a seat, and we walked over to sit next to her. As we sat down, she began to talk again. "Apparently you have to pay to spend time with these boys. I took care of it for us, though. Oh, and there's some people I'd like you to meet. Aika and Mahayka, meet Hikaru and Kaoru." She grinned as we studied the equally cute identical twins. "Oh, and I know the names of the other members, too. I learned them while you were gone. Over there, with the blond hair and the smug grin, is Tamaki. At the next table over, with the glasses and the dark hair, is Kyoya. Over there, the feminine boy that bumped into me, is Haruhi. You already know Hunny and Mori, so I guess that's it." she pointed at each person as she named them.

"Hey, I didn't know you got bumped. That's news to me." Mahayka said, looking puzzled.

"Long story, I'll tell you when we get home." Karai said, waving her hand as though brushing the statement off. She was looking content when her stomach suddenly growled. "Uh-oh. I'll be right back, I'm getting some snacks." She stood and left the table, heading for the snack bar she had helped to set up, leaving Mahayka and me amongst a group of strangers. Mahayka wasted no time with formalities, going straight to the gossip she was comfortable with.

"Karai loves snacks, especially cake. I'm not saying I don't like cake, but she could wolf down an entire three layer in minutes. I've learned over the years to hide my snacks." She paused for breath, and another girl spoke up.

"She sounds like a female Hunny, just not as cute." The girl chuckled slightly.

"Who says she's not cute? I think she's pretty good-looking myself, but that's just me." Hikaru spoke up, grinning.

"I thought you said I was cute!" Kaoru said, frowning and looking indignant.

"You are, but so is she." Hikaru said, smiling sweetly at his twin.

"Umm..." A girl started to speak shyly. "You said she eats a lot of sweets, so how does she stay in shape?"

"Surgery?" The first unknown girl spoke up again.

"No, I would know if she'd had surgery, I live with her. It's probably all the swimming we do, combined with her high metabolism." Mahayka spoke up in defense of our little sister.

"Well, how are you guys sisters? Your'e all about the same age, and she looks nothing like you two. Adoption?" No other girls were talking, seemingly content to let this girl ask all the questions they were aching to know the answers to.

"Something like that. Her parents died and ours took her in. Our parents died, we coped on our own." Mahayka's expression turned bittersweet.

"Well, even adoption doesn't explain the white hair. That's too colorless to be blond, and too flexible to be bleached."

"Maybe it has something to do with her mom's job in the lab. She still worked while she was pregnant."

"What exactly did her mom do?"

"She tested animals to see if it was possible to create a hybrid between human and animal."

"Isn't animal testing illegal, or at least cruel?"

"No, it was all very humane. They treated the animals with care and mainly used DNA samples, not the actuall animal."

"Did it work?"

"Only once that we know of." Mahayka glanced at Karai, then at me. I matched her gaze, a warning look on my face. We were in danger if anyone at this school found out about Karai.

"What was it?"

"Part cat. You might call it a neko." Mahayka's voice tightened.

"Is it still alive? What does it look like? How old is it?" The girl asked rapid fire questions.

"Whoah, whoah! Too many questions. And besides, I'm not allowed to answer any of them. I shouldn't have said what I already did. This is all government top secret stuff, it's not supposed to get out into the public."

"Aww, come on! You've said this much..." The girl egged Mahayka on, hoping for more information.

"If I said any more, I would have to kill you." Mahayka looked solemly at the girl.

"Heh heh. Nice joke, but I know your'e kidding." The girl's voice turned nervous as she studied Mahayka's solemn face. "She is kidding, right?" She asked, looking at me. I shook my head no, and the girl's face turned pale. Luckily the mood was changed as Karai walked back to the table and sat down with a plate piled high with cake. Karai took a large bite of one, then paused in her chewing and looked up, somewhat confused at the silence.

"What's with the long faces?" She asked after swallowing.

"Is it true that your mother, while she was pregnant with you, worked in a lab involving genetic testing on animals and that this subject is supposed to be uhknown to the general public?" The main talker of the group, seeming to have recovered slightly, bluntly asked Karai.

"Hm?" Karai had taken another bite. "Yeah, top-secret, hush-hush and all that stuff. But I'm surprised you know all this... Mahayka shouldn't have even told you this much." Karai frowned sternly at Mahayka, and Mahayka stuck her tongue out in return. The girls looked at each other nervously, and Karia wolfed down the last large bite. I was beyond being surprised by how quickly she ate, but the other girls' eyes widened.

"How come she doesn't choke?" One girl asked, looking genuinely afraid.

Karai looked up from her satisfied daze with surprise, then burst out laughing. "I eat fast, but that doesn't mean I inhale it!" She said after she stopped giggling. Then she leaned back in her chair. I tapped Mahayka's shoulder and pointed at Karai.

Mahayka nodded and began to speak, "You shouldn't be leaning like that. It's dangerous." her stern, maternal voice would be hard for some girls to disobey, but Karai completely disregarded it. Instead, she leaned back even farther. At first she looked smug, but then she looked nervous as the chair began to fall. She flailed her arms, trying to regain balance, but Mahayka reached out and slammed the front two legs back onto the ground.

"If you say I told you so, I'll dye your hair orange." Karai muttered. Mahayka's jaw dropped in shock, and she shuddered.

"Wow... you guys don't really care about each others feelings." The first unknown girl spoke up again. Mahayka blinked in surprise, and Karai blushed and giggled nervously. Luckily, neither had to talk because Hikaru and Karou cut in.

"I would never be harsh to you, my beloved brother." Hikaru said, looking into Karou's eyes.

"And I could never be cruel to you, no matter what happened." Karou whispered, staring back at Hikaru. The spell was broken when Karai spoke.

"Whoah, kinda creepy... I mean, I've heard of brotherly love, but that's a whole new extreme!" As she spoke, Hikaru and Karou broke their gaze, and every girl slowly turned and glared at Karai.

"What? I seriously thought they were about to kiss for a second there!" Karai said nervously. The looks from the other girls apparently told Karai how little the girls appreciated her opinion, and Karai cracked. "Fine! Alright, I'll leave! Just quit with the creepy looks!" Then she got up and walked away.

"Karai, wait!" Mahayka called out, but Karai had already left the room.


	3. Karai's Anger

_Karai_

I heard Mahayka call out my name, but I ignored her. I didn't need her right now. I didn't need anyone; I just needed to be alone. As I rushed from the room, I felt my eyes water and the familiar knot in my throat that comes with tears. "Dammit!" I muttered as I hurriedly swiped at my eyes, hating that more tears replaced the ones I just wiped away. I've never liked this trait about myself:I cry under stress. Not only that, but the looks were familiar. At my last school, everyone knew about my "condition," and that made me an instant outcast. The looks those students gave me were exactly the same as the ones I used to get from my classmates. I rushed to the bathroom, searching for an escape and a place to calm down. I hurried through the hall, trying to make it before someone saw the redness and puffiness on my face and the wet trails dripping down my cheeks.

I was running faster and faster, the wind I caused tugging at my hair and pushing it back. I ignored it at first, but when I heard a surprised gasp as I neared a corner in the hallway, I knew I'd made a fatal mistake. Someone had seen my ears.

I couldn't believe myself! I'd spent all that time trying to prevent something like this from happening, and just because I'm upset, my secret was spilled. I considered running away, escaping the person who'd seen me, but I was tired of running from people. I stopped and looked the person in the eyes -or what I could see of them. The boy was wearing a dark cloak, and he was hiding in the shadows of an alcove. He was staring at me, but from what I could see of his face, he wasn't afraid. In fact, his expression was almost reverent.

"Who are you?" his voice sounded rough and low in the empty hall.

"I could ask you the same question." I replied smoothly, glad my voice didn't betray how nervous I was.

"I am Nekozawa Umehito. You didn't answer my question." He stated, but he didn't sound rude when he said it.

"I'm Karai, the only neko in existence." I said with a sigh as I tried to wipe away my tears. "Why are you staying in the dark like that?"

"I fear the light. It burns." He looked nervously at the fluorescent lights in the expensive chandeliers affixed to the ceiling. Then he addressed my tears. "Why are you crying? Do others shun you as well?" He asked sympathetically.

I laughed, but it had no feeling. "Unfortunately, yes. Now you aren't the only outcast at this school. However, you're the only person outside my family that knows, at least at this school."

"You say nobody else knows, yet you were crying, and just now you called yourself an outcast. Why?" He paused and looked me over. "Is it because of what you're wearing?"

I frowned in confusion. "What? Oh, no, it's not that. At least, I don't think it's that." I looked at my t-shirt and shorts thoughtfully. _Could this be it? I know It's not dress code regulations, but we pulled a few strings. Are they jealous because I'm comfortable? No, that couldn't be it, because Mahayka and Aika were wearing comfortable clothes too, and they were certainly accepted. _" It's because I'm weird. Because nobody understands me. Because I'm part cat. Because I was almost killed for being the way I was born!" As I spoke, I got louder until I was practically shouting as I said the last sentence. I listened to my words echo down the empty hallway, and I felt somewhat better. Nekozawa, however, looked even paler than usual, if that was possible.

"S-someone... tried... to kill you?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"Whoah! What's wrong?" I asked nervously, and I took a few steps closer.

"My family has considered cats sacred for centuries." As he spoke, I noticed the small cat puppet in his hand. "To know that someone is alive who would try to kill a neko, the closest connection between human and cat in existence, makes me very angry. What was this person's name?"

"Uh... I think it was Marihin... Why?" I asked in confusion.

"I am the leader of the black magic club. This Marihin will soon find many troubles coming his way." And with an evil grin, he crept away.

"Wow. That was weird." I muttered, then rushed to the bathroom to finish cleaning up.

_****** Later on the drive home *****_

The rest of the day was a blur. I was asked the occasional question, but I answered them with few-to-one-word sentences. I'm sure I got labeled as the quiet, shy type. _That'll definitely change tomorrow. _ I thought scornfully. I wished desperately for the week to hurry by, but when I looked at my phone, it was still Monday. Aika pulled into the driveway, she being the best driver of the three of us, and cut off the car. I climbed out of the backseat, then turned and waited for Aika to pop the trunk so I could get my stuff. As I grabbed my notebooks and pencils, I looked up and saw Mahayka watching me sternly. I shifted my stuff to one hand and closed the trunk while saying, "What?"

"Where did you go? I called your name, and you ignored me." She looked irritated.

"I went to the bathroom. Is there a problem with that?" I didn't look at her this time, instead content to focus on the concrete as I walked towards the door. Aika was already waiting for us at the open door. I had no idea how she moved quickly enough to have unlocked and opened the door already, but I didn't ask questions. Instead I hurried inside to delay Mahayka's questions further.

"You can't escape me, Karai! We live together." She stormed in after me, some of the maternal look slipping in her anger.

"Actually, I can. You see, it's time for me to go to work, and you have to go before I get back." We hadn't intentionally planned our hours to keep us from each other, but it just sorta worked out that way. My night shift at the mall, Mahayka's job as a waitress at the four-star restaurant (it was hard to find one below five stars, but nothing better would accept a teenaged worker, not even one who looked like a 20-something year old), and Aika's job as an internet critic kept us with enough spending money to be happy. See, even though we had inherited a fortune from our parents, who had legally emancipated us after their death in their will, we had a deal. We wouldn't touch that money unless it was an emergency. (And yes, we considered getting into the top school in the country an emergency.) If we wanted money, we had to earn it ourselves. We had a pretty decent bank account just from our own work.

"Ugh! Fine, but we're going to talk when you get back." Her irritation showed even further as she slammed her bag onto the kitchen table.

"Yeah, yeah." I muttered, and ran into my room to change.

I hurriedly put on my uniform, which wasn't much different from my usual outfit except that everything I wore had to be from that store. I didn't mind that so much because they had some pretty cute outfit's that were just my style. (Slightly darker colors like purple, black, and grey, with smart-ass sayings and cute pictures on the front. Anything but a turtleneck or a strapless shirt, and nothing but denim when it came to pants or shorts. I wore minimal accessories and makeup, just my favorite leather bracelet and some eyeliner. Someday I would get a bellybutton piercing, but for now I was content with my double-pierced ears. My typical hi-top shoes that I'd Sharpie's all over were enough for me in the shoe department. As for underwear... Well, that's my _own_ business.) This time I picked out a layered tee, a blue-and-black striped short-sleeved over a grey long-sleeved, and dark blue pants that were faded and torn at the knees. I grabbed my purse as I rushed out the door, a simple, small brown thing with a long shoulder-strap, and with a shouted, "Bye!" over my shoulder, I was out of the house.

I breathed a quick sigh of relief and jogged to the garage to get my motorcycle. (I had a leather jacket that I wore with it to prevent roadrash, but sometimes I wore it elsewhere just because it looked cool.) I clicked the button on the remote we hid in the plant pot, then waited impatiently as the door slowly creaked its way up. When the door was finally high enough for me to get in, I walked in and grabbed my jacket, helmet, and keys from the shelf against the wall. I put on the first two, then put the key in the ignition and cranked. Nothing happened. I tried again, with the same results.

"Oh, come on! Are you kidding me?" I tried one last time, but when I didn't even hear an attempt at a start, I cursed and rested my helmet against the handlebars. Then I stiffened as I realized something. _Shouldn't there be at least some noise? I'm not the auto expert, that's Mahayka, but... Mahayka! She was messing with my motorcycle!_ And with that thought I lifted my head with a jerk to see her leaning against the wall, wrench in hand.

"Are you serious? Messing with my ride so I'll talk to you? I'm gonna be late for work, and my boss will be pissed! It's bad enough that I'm new, but being late! I don't even want to think about the consequences!" My voice was getting more and more shrill. "What if I get fired, huh? Are you going to be the one going to the mall and begging for forgiveness? Or searching for hours for a better job, if there is one? I think not!"

I had walked as I yelled, and now I was within a foot of Mahayka. She looked scared, and slightly hurt. I had never been this mad before. Of course, I'd never had such a freaky day either. Even the day I nearly got killed was better than today because it was me being hurt, not someone I love. That was when I felt the wetness on my cheeks and realized I was crying again. I clenched my fists and bowed my head with frustration, then said in a dangerously calm voice, "Fix whatever you did to my bike and let me go. I said I would talk to you when I got home, and I meant it." Then I backed away as Mahayka shakily walked to my motorcycle. I turned away from her in anger, and because i don't care enough about mechanics to watch what she was doing. A little bit later, I heard, "Done," and as I turned back around she stood up and walked away. She brushed against me as she walked to the door that led from the garage to the house, but I didn't turn to watch her leave. Instead I made sure my helmet was on properly, zipped up my jacket, and got on my motorcycle. I turned the key in the ignition, and it started with the usual loud roar I was used to. I walked it backwards and turned slightly to make sure nothing was blocking me. When I was certain, I got out of the garage, clicked the button to close the door with the remote I'd held on to, threw the remote into the pot, turned my bike around and drove away.


	4. Regret

_Mahayka_

I couldn't believe this. How could this have gone any worse? She had never been this mad at me before. Sure, we'd had silly little arguments before, but nothing like this. Of course, I'd never messed with her motorcycle before, either. _Why was I so pushy? Did I really have to know that badly? No._ I thought, and as I heard her drive away through the closed door, tears began to drip down my face. I walked to our room, hoping I didn't pass Aika on my way. I heard her typing away on the computer, and I wondered what she was criticizing this time. _Like it matters_. I thought angrily. I walked through the doorway and flopped on our huge bed. As I lay my head against one of the pillows and stared at the ceiling, the scene ran through my head over and over again. The tears I could see on her face, even through the helmet... The anger in her voice... My fear... I finally couldn't take it anymore, and I broke down into sobs. How could I have done this? I knew she was upset! Why did she react so violently? I'm her sister! How will I explain this to her? I don't know!

My sobs must have disturbed Aika, because suddenly she was at my side, stroking my hair and comforting me in her silent way. As the events of the day caught up to me, I felt exhausted, and I fell into a dreamless sleep.

_Aika_

_This is bad. _I thought as I stroked my sleeping sisters hair. This wasn't the first time I'd had to comfort her, but it was the most disturbing. I'd heard some of what was said outside (mostly Karai shouting) and I was nervous. They never fought like this, and I'd never expected them to. I wished I had tried to stop them before it escalated to this degree, but it was too late for that now. I wanted to get back to my job (I was currently critiquing a sculpture- not very bad, but not her best work), but I didn't know if I could get up. How would we be able to make it through this? Sure, Mahayka shouldn't have messed with Karai's motorcycle, but the Karai I knew wouldn't be so upset about it. She'd definitely be pissed, but not to this extent. What had happened to make her react so extremely? I had no idea, but I bet it had something to do with the way she ran away in the Host Club today. She always did say what she thought, and most people didn't accept her for it. Maybe this time it was too much. I'd have to figure it out when I got home. _That would be much easier if I would ever talk. But I think I'll stay silent. I've chosen not to say one word for this long, I won't change that now. Besides, there's always a pencil and paper._ I slowly slid away from the bed, trying not to wake Mahayka. She tensed when I moved, but relaxed when I was off the bed. I walked back to the computer and tried to think of how best to confront Karai.

_Karai_

I made it to work on time, but just barely. After I parked, I got off the motorcycle and took off my helmet. When I was sure nobody was looking, I pulled a mirror from my purse and fluffed my hair to cover my ears. When I was satisfied with my hair, I checked to see if my face was still red from crying. It was still a little puffy, but I would live. I hooked my helmet under my arm and walked into the mall. I caught a few strange looks as I walked into the clothing store, but nothing I wasn't used to. _You obviously couldn't handle it in the Host Club though, now could you? And then you blew up in front of Mahayka! Your own sister! Great job, smart person!_ I thought to myself sarcastically as I passed through the door that led to the employees only section. One of the other employees looked up as I walked in, and I got a mumbled "Hey,". I returned it with the same lack of enthusiasm as I placed my jacket and helmet in a corner that I had claimed as mine. (Literally, I had taken a piece of paper, written "Karai's corner" on it, and taped it to the wall.) When I turned away from the corner, one of my friends was standing nearby.

"Hey Karai!" She greeted excitedly. She was always excited. If a customer bought something, she practically bounced. If she was congratulated, her grin could be compared to a half moon. One time somebody got a promotion; she threw an party with streamers and everything.

"Hey Etsuko." I halfheartedly smiled as I walked towards the door. She instantly noticed my unhappiness.

"What is it this time? You're always so upset. Why can't you be happy like me?" She followed me to the door.

"Because if I was as happy as you, nobody would be pessimistic. Now let me go to the register, or nobody will. You guys are lucky I'm here. Who knows what would happen if the boss walked in and saw the abandoned register?" I took my place and watched for any customers.

"We'd all be in deep shit." She said with a sigh.

"Okay, two things. One: lighten up. I'm the pessimist around here. And two: watch your language." I smiled as she giggled and walked away, leaving me to the empty store and my own thoughts. Unfortunately, those were the last things I wanted to be alone with. I tried thinking about simple things, but my angry shouts kept echoing in my head. Why had I done that? What was wrong with me? Nothing excused the harsh way I'd treated Mahayka! I started getting mad at myself, but eventually I couldn't take it. As I cried behind the counter, Etsuko walked back out to check on me.

"Hey Karai, I-" Her words cut off as she saw the tears I quickly tried to hide. "Go take a break." I started to protest, but she held up a hand to shut me up. "No buts, Karai, except for the one you'll be walking to the Break Room. Or, on second thought, the bathroom. You need privacy."

Sometimes I loved my best friend. I walked to the one stall bathroom and locked the door behind me, effectively sealing me off from the world. Then, I sobbed. Eventually I had to get up, so I cleaned myself up and went back to the counter, a fragile false smile on my face.

_Tashin_

Ugh. What a long day. That girl from earlier... The one with the white hair. Who was she? I was supposed to get her name when she came in, or at least before she left, but taking care of her wound seemed so much more important. I pressed a button and spoke into the intercom. "Would somebody please bring me a record of the girl I tended today? I need to file some paperwork.," I waited a brief moment, then I got an answer. "Yes sir, Mr. Kota," A young female voice. Probably one of those love-struck nurses mooning over me just because I'm a resident and closer to their age than an actual doctor. Pretty soon she walked in with a file. I was surprised, but then I realized she must have done my work for me- again!- and had decided to show me so she could get more time with me and try to prove that she was better than the other nurses. I sighed quietly, then put on a content face and tried to hide my exasperation.

"Here, Mr. Kota. I filed your work for you. Here's your copies." She smiled and blushed as she handed them to me.

"Thank you. I appreciate that very much." I gave her a generic response with a smile, and hoped she thought it was sincere. Apparently she did, because she giggled and left. I shook my head at the silliness of these nurses, then I looked over the papers. 'Let's see... Karai Mikori. Interesting. I wonder if she bleaches her hair." I mumbled to myself, then I filed the paper away in my personal files. The regular work (already done by the annoyingly eager nurse) was sent to the main office so they could check on what I did each day.

I got up from my chair so I could leave, turning to grab my coat from my chair. I looked around to make sure everything was in place before I left. When I was satisfied, I clicked off the light and walked out the door. As I locked it behind me, I realized that the girl, Karai, would probably need more medical attention, and since she didn't even have stitches over that huge gash, she probably wouldn't handle it herself. I half smiled as I remembered ordering a shirt for her even though she should have been wearing a uniform. I would have to call her back to my office to make sure she got medical attention. I shook my head to clear it, then I left.


	5. Finding Tigon

**_Author's note: _**I was reading through my earlier chapters and notcied I made a mistake: I said Karai's ears are pierces. I realize now that it would not only expose her, it would be very painful to get cat-ears pierced. Please ignore that. I was basing her style off my own, and I have double pierced ears. I completely forgot about the most important thing on my main character. And also: I know this chapter is very short, but there's something more important in the next chapter that I didn't want to squeeze into this chapter. Thankyou, and please review. I want to know if anyone notices any other mistakes.

_Karai_

I was driving home after the longest day of work I've ever had. (It wasn't actually longer, but it sure felt like it.) I climbed out of my car and heard a noise. It was a kittens mew, a wail for help. I hurried towards the source. I found a dog growling at an orange kitten. I raced forward to help, but not before the dog sunk its teeth into the scruff of the kittens neck. I shrieked and ran forward, hearing another cry, this time of pain. The dog growled when I came near, but I kept going. I reached for the kitten, but the dog dropped the kitten and bit my hand. I cringed and groaned in pain, but I managed to grab the limp bundle of fluff with my other hand. I pulled my hand away and ran, getting to the door as fast as I could. Aika opened the door for me; she must have been watching from the window. I rushed in and slammed the door behind me. She looked at my hand pointedly.

"I know, I know. But look at this little guy. He's so adorable!" Aika smiled, and just like that, things were back to normal. One down, one to go. At least I had a few hours before Mahayka got back. But it probably wouldn't be as easy with her. "I'm gonna name him Tigon. Tomorrow I'm getting him his supplies." Aika lifted a notepad and pen from the table. After she scribbled something down, she showed it to me. _Why not today?_ "Because I don't want to be attacked by that dog again. So what are you reviewing?" She turned around and walked to the computer. I willingly followed her. I read her review about some things: A sculpture, a book, a few paintings. "You've been interested in the arts lately? Why not review Mahayka's restaurant?" She tilted her head to one side thoughtfully, then nodded, She got back to work, doing whatever it was she did that made her so popular. I went to the bathroom and cleaned out the cuts from the dog bite.I decided to go for a swim in our underground saltwater pool, changing into my favorite swimsuit Mahayka got me for a birthday. It was blue and black with a picture of a cats head on the stomach. After a few minutes, Aika walked out to join me. "How was the review?" I asked, climbing out to jump from the diving board. She waited until I had gracefully finished my swan dive and resurfaced before giving me a thumbs-up. I nodded and dived from the surface, staying under for as long as I could. When I surfaced, Mahayka was back.

_Mahayka_

The day had gone by in a rush. I was lucky I hadn't ruined any orders. I drove home slowly, trying to think of a way to apologize. When I went home, I heard a loud splash and guessed they were in the pool. I walked inside and heard a loud "Meow!" I looked down at my feet and saw an adorable orange kitten rubbing itsself against my leg. I smiled and scratched its head, then walked to my room to change into a swimsuit. When i walked out to the pool, Karai was just resurfacing.

"Hey!" she called, waving me in. "Come on in! The water's fine!." I smiled. I guessed no apologies were necessary. I liked it better that way. We all did. I slipped into the water and asked, "Who's the cute new member of the family?"

"His name's Tigon. Isn't he cute?"

I nodded. "You gonna take care of him? He's gonna need a litter box."

She nodded. "I'll handle that, catfood, and everything else tomorrow. I saved him from a dog." I saw the bite marks on her hand and nodded, then splashed her. The day went on. At night, we all piled up in the bed. I was on one side of Karai, and Aika was on the other. "I'm sorry." I whisper.

"It's okay." She says.

I have great dreams that night.


	6. With the Doctor

*** Hey guys, it's me. I was hoping you guys wouldn't be too upset about the short chapter before this one, but I made a desicion. I will post chapters more often, but they will be shorter. I know that also means more cliffhangers... Like the one in this chapter (To find out more, read on.) The first part of this chapter is sort of pointless, but I thought you guys might be interested in a bit of the morning routine. I know it doesn't seem like there's a lot of romance for a romance story, but I didn't want to jump the gun. If it's going too slow, tell me in a review or a message. I'll try to speed things up all the same. Please review and enjoy, and message me any mistakes you see.- departedakatsuki***

_Aika_

I woke up in our huge bed, feeling content until I remembered the day before. _Ugh... Nothing I can do about it._ I got up and shook Mahayka and Karai, knowing this would be the first of four to five times I would have to do this to truly wake them up. I was usually the first one up, which meant I got the first hot water. Unfortunately, I also had to make breakfast and prepare everything for the zombies (girls, but they acted like brainless creatures in the early morning.) It didn't matter much to me since I liked to cook; it relieves stress. I wandered into the living room and turned on the radio, then turned on the oven and pulled out some eggs, milk (for fluffiness), bell peppers, cheese, and turkey. (We all love omelettes.) After I cooked everything, I set it on the table along with silverware and cups full of juice, then I went to the room and shook them again. I must have smelled like breakfast, because this time they stirred. I made sure they got out of bed before I grabbed my clothes for the day and took my shower. When I got out, I grabbed the ingredients again and made myself an omelette. I never cooked for myself until after I showered because I didn't want cold food. They had both finished by the time I sat down, and Karai held out her empty plate expectantly. I shook my head and pointed at the stove, and she hung her head sadly before getting up and making three more omelettes. We all ate, then they went to take showers in seperate bathrooms. While they were bathing I cleaned up in the kitchen. I had to wait ten more minutes before either of them was out of the shower. Karai walked out with her hair dripping and wearing her clothes which had random darker spots from the water that she didn't bother to completely dry off of herself. Mahayka walked out of the bathroom on the other side of the house seconds later wearing nothing but two towles; one wrapped around her head like a turban, the other wrapped around herself. They both wandered to the bedroom to finish getting ready. I walked over to the cardboard box where Karai had put Tigon. It had a few blankets in it... But no kitten. I was about to get worried when I heard, "Tigon! Not in the house!" Along with an exasperated sigh from Karai. I grapped paper towels and some generic cleaner and walked into the room. Karai held up her hands and I tossed the m to her. I saw a small puddle on the floor of the bedroom and raised one eyebrow. "He's not potty trained. I'll work on that." Karai muttered, then went to work on cleaning up the mess. Mahayka had already changed somehow. (How did she do it so quickly?) I threw a towel at Karai's head when she finished cleaning; it landed and draped like a sheet. She stood up, and I was prety sure she was glaring at me, but I couldn't tell without seeing her face. She passed the cleaning solution to Mahayka and dried her hair, then threw the damp towel at me. I walked it to the laundry room, then walked back to the room. I wanted to remind Karai about the money we owed the Host Club. _This is so frustrating to do without talking! But I can't say a word._ I shook my head to clear it of those thoughts and walked back into the room. I grabbed the piggy bank and dug out the 14,000 yen we owed. Karai tilted her head in confusion for a few seconds, then straghtened suddenly when she remembered. I pocketed the money and checked the rest of the house to make sure everything was ready for us to go. When I had turned off lights and closed ddors to keep the cat out, I walked to the car. Karai was already waiting for me, and Mahayka walked out shortly afterwards. They both got into the car, and I drove us to school.

_Karai_

We made it to school and I walked into homeroom. I looked around the classroom for Kyouya, knowing I shared homeroom and a few other classes with him. I saw him standing in frotn of some boys desk, talking with him about some banquet. I walked over and handed him the money Aika had given me while we were in the car.

"I brought you the money. Are we on good terms with the club now?" I asked.

"Yes, of course. And thank you." He seemed irritated as he said this though. I frowned in confusion, then realized what a bad idea it had been to pay him in front of everyone. The class was staring at us. I blushed uncomfortably. _Crap! I'm already on bad terms with him! Baka! I've pissed off the cute megane!_ I paused in confusion at my own thoughts. _Cute? Well, I guess so. I mean, he is in the Host Club. Who wants to see an ugly guy? Still, I need to keep my head on straight. Cute guys are nothing but trouble, especially this greedy little fellow._ I was snapped out of my own thoughts by a knock at the door. After someone called out, "Come in!" he shuffled in through the door.

"Karai Mikori is needed at the doctors office. Dr. Nega needs to see her." I looked at the teacher and dhe nodded, giving a shooing motion to say I should go. I hurriedly followed the messenger, trying to keep up with his quick pace and avoid getting lost.

"What does he need me for?" I asked the messenger.

"How am I supposed to know. Wer'e here." He pointed to a door. I nodded and walked inside. _Who's Dr. Nega anyways?_ I wondered. I didn't have to wonder for long because a handsome young man in a doctor's outfit looked up when I closed the door. I was briefly confused, but then I remembered the doctor that stitched me up yesterday. _That must be him. I wonder what somebody so young is doing in a doctors office..._

"Hello. I'm Dr. Nega Tashin. Please call me Tashin. It's a little awkward to have people so close to me in age call me Mr. and Dr." He smiled.

"Why are you so young?" I asked.

"It's because I'm a resident." He explained. I tried to nod as though I understood, but I was clueless. He caught on and chuckled. "A resident is a doctor in training. They allow us to work in the field, but we aren't officialy doctors. Aside from that, I was young to start school and I skipped a grade. It's a little odd now that I think back on it." He reached back and scratched a spot between his shoulder blades.

"Oh... So what did you need me for?' I asked, trying to get back to the issue at hand.

"Ah, yes. You see, yesterday after I stitched up your cut, I realized you would probably go on being highly active regardless of what I told you to do. I figured if you were going to do that, you should at least let me give you some stronger gauze and daily check-ups. Busting stitches is not fun, trust me." He grimaced as if in memory.

"How do I know you aren't just trying to get an excuse to look at my boobs?" I asked him, trying to mess with his head. It worked. I watched a red flush spread across his cheeks.

"P-pardon?" I laughed at his surprised expression. He realized I was joking, and a mischevious look replaced his surprise. "You know, I could just leave you to the actual doctors at the hospital." I glared at him, and he apparently took that as a reason to continue. "Or one of the female nurses." I grimaced at the idea of a bubbly blond being anywhere near my chest with a needle. "Or one of the older male doctors." At that I shuddered. An older graying man with glasses and a pedophilic stare? Not my idea of a good doctors visit. "Really though, what's your issue with real doctors?" He walked to his office as we talked, and I decided to follow him.

"Who do you think decided not to give me stitches?" I scoffed. "As though _that_ was a good idea."

He frowned, looking somewhat angry. "No doctor should have been that unproffesional. You should have filed a lawsuit."

"Nah. Wouldn't have been worth it. I heal too fast for it to matter. Or, at least I thought I did. I wasn't planning on getting jabbed when I wasn't completely healed yet. At least I have stitches now." We had reached his office. He opened the door and stepped inside, pausing to look behing himself and motion me inside. I walked inside, somewhat nervous (I'd never liked doctors, no matter how young, cute, or flirty thay were). He closed the door behind us and drew some curtains over a tiny window. We were inside... And all alone.


	7. Fitting in?

***Hey, it's me again. I thought you guys should know, this chapter has something dirty in it. If you don't want to see it, don't read it. No lemon (at least not in this chapter), but someone attempts to seduce someone else. Read on t find out what I'm talking about.***

_Tashin_

After I closed the door, I turned and looked at Karai. She looked a little nervous, but confident enough to handle it. She was wearing a cute blue shirt with a black design and studs on the shoulders. It looked like a boys shirt, but it looked good on her. I pointed to a bed-thingy (The school was too rich to buy the typical examination tables that every doctors office had.) and motioned for her to sit down. She did, then looked around nervously. I sighed.

"So, first off. Have you been feeling any pain?" I decided to ask questions, hoping to calm her down.

"Nothing more than the usual, you know, when I move around." She shifted around to demonstrate. I nodded and turned to a counter to put on some rubber gloves. As I put them on, I started to talk again.

"I'm going to need you to take off your shirt so I can examine the wound." I turned around and pulled the glove back to tighten it. She nodded, blushing slightly, and tugged her shirt off. I stepped forward, trying not to stare. Not just at her breasts, but at the gash. It had healed twice as fast as it should have. "I... I can't believe it. You are already well on your way to recovery." I leaned forward to touch it, to make sure what I was seeing was real, then paused when she flinched back. "May I?" I wasn't used to asking permission, but she was till nervous.

"Uh... Yeah, sorry." She straightened up, and I pressed my fingers against the cut lightly. She sucked in a quick breath, then expelled the air slowly. I pulled away my fingers and looked her in the eyes. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to hurt you." She blushed deeply, but stared at the wall in front of her and stiffened her spine. I slowly touched the cut again. It already had pale scar tissue around the edges, but that was natural for an older wound. What wasn't natural was how far the scarring went. It almost touched the stitches, when yesterday all of that area was scabbed and bloody. I frowned and moved my finger, tracing the gash. I felt her tense, and I realized how awkward this must be for her. I sighed and backed away. "It's incredible, really. You should still be covered in scabs, but you're healing so quickly that there's just a scar. At this rate it will be completely healed in a few days. The only traces will be a scar, but... It won't be pretty." She furrowed her eyebrows.

"So you're saying nobody will want to see me naked?" _Wow. She's pretty blunt._

"Heh heh. I definitely wouldn't say that." She relaxed, then smirked.

"Doctor, are you flirting?" She was obviously sarcastic in her reprimand, but I blushed all the same.

"I guess you could say that..." I couldn't look at her now. She was just sitting there shirtless, and I couldn't even look at her. _What kind of doctor can't look at a half-naked patient? I'm going to have to see naked old men in the future, this should be easy! Ugh, bad image._ I shook my head and looked back at Karai. She was watching me with amusement.

"So, can I put my shirt back on? Or do I have to spend the rest of the day like this?" She pointed at herself in example.

"Well, as much as some people would enjoy that," _myself included,"_ it's against school rules." She got up and bent over to get her shirt from where she'd thrown it on the floor, and I couldn't help but watch. _Bah! Get it together man! You're a doctor... Well, a resident to be exact, but still. She's in high school. Of course, the age difference isn't very great... Quit thinking these thoughts! You're a grown man! She's... Beautiful..._ I watched her put her shirt back on. She straightened and caught me staring. With a smile she walked closer.

"You know, you're kinda cute. What are you doing Friday night?" I couldn't believe this. She'd gone from being shy and nervous to sexy and flirtatious. And... What was I doing Friday night?

"Uhh..." I suddenly went on the offensive. "Going on a date with you, obviously. Give me your number. I'll pick you up at 7:00." _What are you doing? You idiot!_ She blinked in surprise, then pulled a silver Sharpie from her pocket. She grabbed my hand and scribbled a number on it.

"Don't be late." And she walked out of the office, swinging her hips in a mesmerizing way. I was left gawking. I quickly shook my head and jogged out.

"Wait! You need a late pass!" She held up a slip in her hand- she must have gotten it from the secretary- without even looking back. Then she continued on her way to class.

I walked back to my office, feeling stunned. A few minutes later, a nurse walked in.

"So, who was that?" I had been staring at the wall, but I looked up in surprise.

"That was Karai. I had to help her out yesterday, and I wanted to make sure she was still doing well."

"Oh really? You usually don't pay that much attention to your patients." She was acting oddly.

"Most of my patients don't have life-threatening gashes across their chests." I retorted. I realized when she glared that I had made a mistake. Then I realized the problem. The girl was jealous! And I had just made it worse.

"Oh, so the new girl's a whore and she decided to come on to you by cutting herself. How proffesional."

"Nobody is that desperate! And she had only been here a day! She couldn't have even known about me!"

"I would be that desperate." And, while looking me in the eyes, she took her nails and slashed a line across her chest.

"Are you stupid? You could get an infection!" I backed up further agaisnt a wall, away from this psychotic woman.

"What, won't you help me? Won't you examine my chest?" She tugged at her outfit, trying to expose her breasts. Unfortunately for her, the uniforms weren't meant to go that low. She huffed in frustration, then got a mischevious look in her eyes. She took her a pair of scissors from a pocket on her suit and started cutting the shirt.

"Help! Security!" I called, and I was rewarded with loud footsteps rushing this way. Her eyes widened, and she rushed toward me.

"No, I won't!" I sidestepped, knowing she was trying to frame me.

"Get away!" The security guards stepped in and took the situation in. They both stepped forward and grabbed one arm each. When they had her restrained, she looked up at me.

"You'll regret this. You'll wish I'd-" She was cut off by the security guard to her left.

"Cut the chatter. You're not going to work here much longer anyways" They took her out of the room, and I exhaled in relief.

_Karai_

_What was I thinking back there? I've never been flirty before! But... Obviously it worked. And now I have a date with a hot doctor. Sweet! Now which way is my first class again?_ I wandered the hallways for a little while, then decided to play hooky. Today was definitely going better than yesterday. Or so I thought until I ran into the hall monitor.

"Where are you going?" He asked sternly.

"I'm not sure. Where's..." I dug in my pocket for my schedule. "German class?" He nodded and said "Follow me." I did so and he took me to my class. I spent the next hour learning pronouns in German. _Ugh..._

_Later at the Host Club_

"Kyouya!" I called out from across the room. He looked up, and a flash of irritation crossed his face before it was replaced by the calm look he used with his clients. "I need to talk to you." He turned and murmured something to the girls he was talking to before walking over to me. I took a few steps outside the door, making sure we wouldn't be overheard.

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I'm still kinda new to the whole "rich" thing. I... I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your friends." I looked at him nervously. He sighed, obviously exasperated.

"For one thing, they aren't my friends. They are classmates, nothing more." I blinked, surprised to see the actual side of him. "For another thing, it is rude to exchange money in public. I thought even commoners understood that."

"Well, not if somebody owes somebody else. I guess it's sort of a way to make sure everyone's honest. You'll know if somebody cheats people on debt if you see it done." I shrugged.

"Well, the rules here are different. You should learn them, or you'll be shunned."

I couldn't take that last jab, so I retorted, "If I'll be so shunned, why do I already have a date on Friday?" He paused on his way back inside.

"With who? The doctor? Ha. You should see all the nurses that cling to him like nursing puppies. He's not somebody you should be proud about." And he walked inside.

_I'm not surprised about the girls. He _is _hot. And I set up the date. Not him. He's not a man-ho. At least, I don't think he is. Dammit, Kyouya, why'd you have to confuse me like this?_ I sighed and walked back inside, wishing I'd managed to play hooky anyways.


	8. The Date Almost

**** Author's Note: **I'm not too thrilled about the low views and reviews, but I'm hoping to improve things. Please, people. Tell all of your Fanfic-loving friends and anyone you know about my story, and if anyone gives me a good idea, I will try to include it (and their name) in my next chapter. I didn't want to do this, but I'm fastforwarding. I don't want to describe every detail of every day up to the date, so I'm skipping to Friday. Please, help me out here. ******

_Karai_

**Thursday**

As soon as I got home from school, my phone started ringing. Aika and Mahayka looked at me suspiciously, and even I was a bit confused. _Who knows my number? _Nevertheless, I answered it.

"Hello?" I asked curiously as I walked inside.

"Hey beautiful. I wanted to get directions to your house."

"Huh?" I asked in utter confusion. Who was this? Was this a prank call?

"You know. For the date. You haven't forgotten about it already, have you? Oh, don't tell me I have a wrong number." He sounded nervous, and suddenly I remembered. Tashin!

"Oh! Sorry, Tashin. I... uh. I didn't recognize the number, sorry." I tried to make up an excuse to cover the fact that I had, indeed, forgotten the date.

"Oh. That's fine." I gave him the directions and hung up.

"Well?" Mahayka watched me suspiciously.

"That was my date." I replied nervously.

"You have a date?" She was suddenly excited.

"Oh, God save me." I knew I shouldn't have told her. She always overreacted.

"You have to have a dress! And a makeover! And..." She got a mischeivious grin, and I was suddenly afraid.

"Please, no. Not a pedicure. The last time you gave me one, you made me scream." I backed away slowly, as though being hunted by a predator. She followed me, matching me step for step.

"That's because you kept wriggling. I had to get you to stop. Besides, it's been too long." I shuddered and ran to the pool, jumping in still fully clothed. She followed me in and swam after me. When she finally caught up to me, I was too exhausted to care and I agreed to let her handle my appearance.

"But just so you know, I have no idea where we're going. Don't go full out, but do more than my typical jeans and T-shirt."

"Do you trust me?" She asked seriously.

"Not always." I replied, just as serious.

"Good. You've learned well. Now go inside and change clothes. We're both soaked."

**Friday**

The week so far has been pretty uneventful (well, except for an event involving a sexy midget stripper, an exploding cake, and one _hell_ of a Wednesday... But none of that's important.) Today I was so absorbed in daydreaming about the date that I didn't pay much attention in class. I managed not to get called on, and I made it hom safely.

As soon as we were inside, Mahayka began ordering me around.

"Drop everything. Right there on the table." She nodded when I obeyed. "Good. Now go take a shower. Clean yourself thouroughly. Shave your legs, wash your hair, all that good stuff. Make sure you put on deodorant."

"How could I shave my legs? They're hairless! You know, one of those freaky things that came along with the hairy paws." She raised a finger sternly.

"No backtalk. Today I am in charge. Do everything I say, no questions asked." I smirk, but give her a respectful, "Yes ma'am," and head to the shower.

I turn on the water as hot as I can stand and step inside. As the water pours over me, I think about what may happen today. Mahayka will surely torture me with beauty products beforehand and torture me for info afterwards. Still, I'm excited about the date. What if Tashin and I... Kiss? Or... Maybe more! I mean, I am the only virgin out of the three of us, so you never know... Bah! Don't think about that! Just let what happens happen. I finish up and step out, wealking to the room wearing nothing but a towel. As I step inside, I see Mahayka sitting down with a mischevious smile and a lot of makeup.

"Oh, God! What am I getting myself into?" I groan, but I sit down anyways. She begins to work on my face, using unknow products to do unknown things that will supposeldy make me beautiful. When she's done, she steps back and says, "There." while brushing off the remains of some powder from her clothes. I look at myself in the mirror.

My face has been transformed, but subtly. My skin is perfectly smooth, my eyes look bigger, but it doesn't look like I'm wearing anything except for the pale blue eyeshadow that, for some odd reason, makes my green eyes look bigger.

"I thought blue was for blue eyed people..." I mutter in confusion.

"I'm skilled." Mahayka said with a grin.

"Alrighty then..." I get up and clutch the towel to my chest to keep it from falling around my ankles. "So what's in store for my outfit? I'm not gonna look like a prep, am I?"

She chuckled. "You'll see." and she pulled out a garment bag from the closet. I watched nervously as she unzipped the side, then gasped.

It was one of mom's dresses, from back when she was alive. It was blue and fitted with small silvery vinelike designs going up the sides.

"How... Why... It... It's so beautiful!" I exclaimed, while Mahayka watched nervously.

"Don't bust into tears on me here. I can't have you ruining all the makeup." She fussed.

"Yeah. Uh. So... How do you put it on?" I asked. Having never worn a dress before, the concept was new to me.

"Like this." She said as she slid it over my towel. It fit perfectly, hugging my curves and hitting my knees at the hem. It was amazing... Except for one thing.

"Uh... Mahayka?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not wearing any underwear..." I blushed slightly. She just chuckled and threw a bra and panties at me that matched the dark blue of the dress.

"Well, kiddo. Looks like your'e ready to go." She grinned at me, and I looked at myself in the mirror. I was... beautiful. Just then I heard a knock on the door. "I'll get it." I muttered and raced to the door.

I opened it to see Tashin standing there, looking handsome in a suit. "Hey." He said while he looked me over.

"Hey." I replied with a shy smile. "So... Where are we going?" I asked.

"A sushi restaurant. Hope you like it?" He finished the sentence as a question, and I realized he was just as nervous as I was.

"I love sushi. Uh... Hang on a second. I gotta grab something." He nodded, and I ran to Mahayka.

"Mahayka, can you, oh, I dunno, maybe try to find something to do for tonight. We may need the house... Alone." I hinted at what I was secretly hoping for, and Mahayka nodded with a grin.

"Already taken care of, lover girl. We were hoping to surprise you, but I guess you can expect an empty house."

"Thanks. Your'e the best sisters in the world!" I called out while running back to Tashin.

"You get what you needed?" he asked kindly.

"Yeah." I held up my cell phone and dropped it into my purse. He smiled and offered his arm. I took it, and we set off into the great unknown.

****** Okay, I know this chapter was really boring, but I'm at a real creativity low right now. I have a vague idea for the next chapter, so I'll try to get it out, but please help me out people. I'd love any advice I could get. I have more surprises planned for later in the story, but I can't get to them if I can't get past the boring chapters like this.**


	9. So Much For the Date

****Author's note: Bah! I want to cry! I had this chapter almost complete, but I didn't finish it and I forgot about fanfic for awhile. When I came back, all of my unpublished documents in Document Manager had ceased to exist! I had to re-write EVERYTHING. It's horrible... But at least now I can get a fresh start on this, adn perhaps I'll get back into the old writing spirit. Wish me luck!****

_Karai_

The "great unknown" turned out to be the inside of his car (which was pretty nice. What else is to be expected from a doctor at the great Ouran Academy?).

"What, no limo?" I teased. He looked at me sideways as he opened the passenger door.

"I prefer to do my own driving," he answered after making sure I was properly seated. He closed the door, effectively ending the conversation until he walked around to his side and slid into the driver's seat.

"So, where to?" I asked, hoping it wouldn't be boring.

He smiled in response."It's a secret."

"Aw, don't do that! What if it turns out I'm allergic to something and I go into anaphylactic shock? That would be one Hell of a mood killer."

He whirled around to look at me, shocked. "Um... You're not allergic to anything, are you?" He asked nervously.

"Not that I know of..." I smiled and he relaxed and turned back to watch the road.

"Then you should enjoy this place. I go there whenever I can. You'd think I'd be bored by now, but they have this cool trick. They switch up the menu every Thursday, and every time it's something amazing! I can't wait to see what they have this time."

"So you're saying this is sort of a surprise for both of us."

"Yep." He grinned, the childish glee making him look younger than he already was.

I wasn't certain what to say, and we settled into a comfortable silence.

"Mind if I turn on the radio?" he asked.

"Go right ahead." He leaned forward and pressed something on the dashboard, and rock music started playing form the speakers.

"Oh, sorry!" He reached forward to change the station.

"No, don't! I love this song." He paused, then lowered his hand, a small smile of his face.

We would've been content to keep driving off to wherever he had planned, but the music stopped and and a robotic-sounding male voice took it's place.

_"We interrupt this program to bring you this brief public service announcement. Dangerous thunderstorms are headed this way. A flash flood warning is sent out to these cities: Bunkyo, Karuizawa ..." _It began a long list of locations, and the county we were in was first on the list. _"Please get inside or to a safe location immediately."_ The song cut back on, but I was still nervous. As if to underscore the danger, the first few raindrops hit the car roof. I flinched nervously.

"Hey... I like the rain and all, but flash floods are a bit much..." I left off uncertainly. We'd driven a good ways away from my house, and it would take awhile to get back. "I don't mean to be forward and all, but how far away do you live?"

He chuckled a bit. "Not too far from here. My house is closer than yours. Want me to take you back to my place?"

"On the first date? Doctor, I'm shocked!" I placed my hand against my throat in mock astonishment.

"Please, madam, call me Tashin." He said in a low, seductive voice. My eyes widened a bit and I dropped my hand and stared out the window. He laughed and began to speak again, this time in his normal voice. "If there were anywhere else to go, I'd take you there. But I live less than five miles from here, it won't take too long to get back." Lightning lit up the sky, and a few seconds later, thunder resounded. "And it seems we're going to need speed judging by this storm." The rain picked up, and he stopped talking and paid close attention to the road.

"Where exactly do you live?" I asked as we rounded a corner.

"Just up this hill. For once I'm glad I have to drive up here. I mean, I usually hate it, but tonight I'm pretty thankful for the high ground."

I nodded silently as he began to drive up the hill.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he looked in the rearview mirror.

"What do you mean?" I frowned in confusion.

"You were moving your lips... I thought you were talking to yourself."

"What? Oh, no! I was lip syncing! I guess I didn't even realize it..." I blushed and smiled, and he chuckled.

"Don't worry, I do the same thing. Oh, and we're here." He pulled into a driveway, and I looked at the house. It was small, but I guess that makes sense considering that he lives alone. "Excuse me." he said while reaching across me to open the glovebox. I leaned back as he took out a small remote and clicked a button, opening the garage. He drove in, hit another button to close the door, threw the remote back in, and closed the glovebox.

"So... Finally at the sexy doctor's house." He jolted in surprise, and I froze when I realized I'd spoken aloud. "Erm... Just pretend you didn't hear that..."

He smiled. "And why would I ever do that? I believe I shall lock it in my memory and cherish the sound!" He grinned and got out of the car, walking around to open my door. "And now I've finally got the gorgeous girl at my house. Now why don't you come inside?" He offered a hand to me, and I took it, standing up and closing the car door behind myself.

"Meh. I don't think it's possible to be forward with me. You've already seen me shirtless while I was passed out. In most cases, that would probably be a prelude to rape, but, y'know..." And now he was the one blushing. _Tables officially turned._

****Well, this is as good a place as any to leave off, I suppose. I'll have you know I wrote this entire chapter in about an hour, so it's probably kinda rushed/sloppy. Ah, well... Next one will probably be better. Hope you like it.****


End file.
